Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. See our User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. See our Privacy Policy and User Agreement for details.

1.
i
AAO Non-Precedent Decision1
Filename: Apr232010_01B11216.pdf2
ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OFFICE
U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
April 23, 2010
I-829 Denial Affirmed on Certification from
Director, California Service Center
A. EB-5 Regional Center: Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
(PIDC).
B. EB-5 Project: Tommy D's Expansion plan to purchase and renovate a new
warehouse; AND THEN a new project, the Butcher & Singer project -- to develop
a new restaurant, as a 134-seat, 7,600 square foot upscale "supper club."
C. The ultimate ISSUES in this matter are:
1) Whether the petitioner could withdraw his investment in the regional center project
that was reviewed by USCIS when the petitioner was granted conditional residence
and reinvest in an unrelated project without USCIS review or approval;
2) Whether the new investment is within a targeted employment area and, thus, eligible
for a reduced investment amount; and
3) Whether the new investment demonstrates how the regional center's bridge loan
allows the petitioner to be credited with the statutorily required job creation.
D. PIDC’s Advisory Agreement with the EB-5 Investors:
1) The business plan stated that the objective of the partnership would be to operate as
an ongoing series of investments that serve the best interests of the limited partners
and in a manner that furthers the economic development of Philadelphia.
2) The plan references a PIDC Advisory Agreement with the Partnership that requires
PIDC to recommend investments to the Partnership.
3) Initially, PlDC recommended the Tommy D's investment.
4) The Partnership is “ongoing” because it was formed to invest in Tommy D’s but
allowed limited partners to withdraw from the Partnership without forcing a
dissolution.
1 This Cover/Syllabus is NOT an official work product of USCIS-AAO but merely included
for the convenience of the reader.
2 https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/err/B11%20-
%20Petition%20by%20Entrepreneur%20to%20Remove%20Conditions,%20Sec.%20216A%20of%20the
%20INA/Decisions_Issued_in_2010/Apr232010_01B11216.pdf

2.
ii
5) Given the above, while the partnership agreement did provide for investments
subsequent to the investment in Tommy D's, it appears that these provisions were
included to demonstrate that the Partnership was formed for the ongoing conduct of
lawful business as required at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(e) (definition of commercial
enterprise.) In practical application, this investment and this investment approach
failed miserably due to gross error.
6) The Partnership was advised that “… because of unanticipated financial
circumstances, which occurred after the investment loan was funded, the Tommy
D's Project would be unable to comply with the forms and conditions of the
Partnership's investment loan.”
7) By unanimous resolution, the limited partners approved a new project, the Butcher &
Singer project. It also failed as not EB-5 compliant.
8) PIDC’s Advisory Agreement might have saved the day for their EB-5 investors if it
had been put to proper use. That is, the investors would have had a fighting chance at
removal of conditions if Butcher & Singer had been in a TEA or if the investors
increased their investments to one-million dollars each AND there were sufficient
jobs created.
E. AAO’s Findings and Conclusions with [Added Commentary]:
1) The new investment was not shown to be in a targeted employment area allowing
the petitioner to invest less than one million dollars, and the petitioner did not
sustain his investment therefore, the new investment could not be credited with the
meeting its own statutory requirements.
2) The Partnership's original investment in Tommy D's did not comply with the
business plan, which made no mention of refinancing an existing mortgage. Had
the petitioner disclosed this plan, USCIS might have questioned how replacing one
loan with another loan would create jobs. Notably, such financing did not, in fact,
create any jobs. [While there was no formal finding of misrepresentation, there
might well have been but it was most likely simply an error in judgement due to a
lack of formal guidance.]
3) [The above interpretation of “bridge financing” has been explored further and,
when properly presented and justified, has been found acceptable.]3
4) The full amount of the requisite investment must be made available to the business
most closely responsible for creating the employment upon which the petition is
based. Matter of Izummi, 22 I&N Dec. 169, 179 (Comm'r. 1998). While counsel
noted on certification that the job creating enterprise (JCE) and the new
commercial enterprise (NCE) are not always the same and notes that Matter of
Izummi does not preclude prospective investments, nothing in that decision
suggests that the alien is free to move his investment from the prospective project
presented to USCIS in support of the Form 1-526 to a project that USCIS has
never reviewed in any respect.
5) [The circumstance described in this case is an example of a “material change”
but depending on the timing of such a change, it could prove to be irrelevant to the
lifting of conditions from the EB-5 investor’s status.]
6) [The above rigid interpretation of “material change” has since softened as per the
May 30, 2013, EB-5 Adjudications Policy Memo, V.D.2 states:
3 See: EB-5 Adjudications Policy, PM-602-0083, May 30, 2013, at:
https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2013/May/EB-
5%20Adjudications%20PM%20%28Approved%20as%20final%205-30-13%29.pdf

3.
iii
“Historically, USCIS has required a direct connection between the
business plan the investor provides with the Form I-526 and the
subsequent removal of conditions. USCIS would not approve a
Form I-829 petition if the investor had made an investment and
created jobs in the United States if the jobs were not created
according to the plan presented in the Form I- 526. While that
position is a permissible construction of the governing statute,
USCIS also notes that the statute does not require that direct
connection. In order to provide flexibility to meet the realities of
the business world, USCIS will permit an alien who has been
admitted to the United States on a conditional basis to remove
those conditions when circumstances have changed. An
individual investor can, at the prescribed time, proceed with his or
her Form I-829 petition to remove conditions and present
documentary evidence demonstrating that, notwithstanding the
business plan contained in the Form I-526, the requirements for
the removal of conditions have been satisfied. Pursuant to this
policy, USCIS will no longer deny petitions to remove conditions
solely based on failure to adhere to the plan contained in the Form
I-526 or to pursue business opportunities within an industry
category previously approved for the regional center.”]
7) There is no appeal procedure for a Form I-829. The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.4
(a) (5), however, allows the Director to certify any decision to the
Administrative Appeals Office whether or not the case is appealable. [On
certification, petitioner and/or counsel may submit a brief and/or additional
evidence, as permitted by the instructions to Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or
Motion, as further permitted by 8 C.F.R. § 103.2 “(a) Filing. (1) Preparation and
submission. Every benefit request or other document submitted to DHS must be
executed and filed in accordance with the form instructions, notwithstanding any
provision of 8 CFR chapter 1 to the contrary, and such instructions are
incorporated into the regulations requiring its submission. … ”]
8) The director relied on Chang v. United States of America, 327 F. 3d 911 (9th Cir.
2003),4 which held that, during the adjudication of a Form I-829, USCIS could not
review whether the initial plan submitted with the Form I-526 was qualifying, only
whether the alien sustained that plan. The director reasoned that this decision is
consistent with the proposition that an alien cannot switch plans between the Form
I-526 petition and Form I-829 petition. [Chang spoke to the concept of “reasonable
reliance” on the “rules” such that they cannot change (for the worse) midstream.
The Director took this to mean that the initial plan could not change at all. The
AAO agreed with the Director and observed that…] “… the court stated that the
Form I-526 approval may not be "decoupled from [Form] I-829 approval." Id The
court further stated that Form 1-829 approval is predicted by Form I-526 approval
and "successful execution of the approved plan." Id. Requiring the petitioner to
execute the plan as presented to USCIS is not merely a technical requirement. As
noted by the court in Chang, 327 F. 3d at 927, far more evidence is required in
support of the Form 1-526 petition. …”
4
https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F3/327/327.F3d.911.01‐56379.01‐56266.html

4.
iv
F. The Moral of the Story:
1) It would later come to pass that both the Director and AAO were wrong in
their interpretation of Chang.
2) Chang did not “forbid” a change that takes place in the normal course of
doing business.
3) Rigidity to a business plan that is often put on hold awaiting obscenely
delayed adjudications to be completed simply does not work in real life.
4) While a comprehensive business plan is a critical and vital piece of evidence
supporting an I-526 petition it cannot serve as a choke-chain on an EB-5
investor.
5) An approved business plan that is successfully implemented and executed is
an excellent predictor of I-829 approval.
6) Even if the business plan which supported an I-526 is ultimately abandoned
it will be the real world results that count in the I-829 adjudication.
7) INA § 216A [8 U.S.C. § 1186b] controls the removal of conditions and as
long as the statutory requirements are met during the I-829 stage, it is
irrelevant if the earlier plan was followed or not. This is not to say that the
initial plan that is presented is irrelevant. If the initial plan presented in
support of the I-526 is not credible then it will lead to petition denial and no
chance to move forward at all.
8) A mere few years has brought great change in our understanding of the EB-
5 Immigrant Investment Program both within and without the Regional
Center context; and the changes will continue beyond this writing on March
25, 2016.
Dated this 25th day of March, 2016
/s/ Joseph P. Whalen
That’s my two-cents, for now!
Digitally signed by Joseph P. Whalen
DN: cn=Joseph P. Whalen, o, ou,
email=joseph.whalen774@gmail.com, c=US
Date: 2016.03.25 09:59:48 -04'00'

5.
WAC 09 039 51806
IN RE: Petitioner:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and lnmigration Services
Office ofAdministrative Appeals, MS 2090
Washington, DC 20529-2090
U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration
Services
Office: CALIFORNIA SERVICE CENTER Date: APR 2 3 2010
PETITION: Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions Pursuant to Section 216A of the Immigration
and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1186(b)
ON BEHALF OF PETITIONER:
INSTRUCTIONS:
This is the decision of the Administrative Appeals Office in your case. All documents have been returned to
the office that originally decided your case. Any further inquiry must be made to that office.
If you believe the law was inappropriately applied or you have additional information that you wish to have
considered, you may file a motion to reconsider or a motion to reopen. Please refer to 8 C.F.R. § 103.5 for
the specific requirements. All motions must be submitted to the office that originally decided your case by
filing a Form 1-2908, Notice of Appeal or Motion, with a fee of $585. Any motion must be filed within 30
days of the decision that the motion seeks to reconsider or reopen, as required by 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(l)(i).
~~
Arry Rhew
Chief, Administrative Appeals Office
www.uscis.gov

6.
DISCUSSION: The Director, California Service Center, denied the preference visa petition and
reaffirmed that decision on motion. The matter is now before the Administrative Appeals Office
(AAO) on certification pursuant to the regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.4. The director's decision will be
affinned.
The petitioner was granted conditional lawful permanent residency as an alien entrepreneur pursuant to
section 203(b)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (the Act), 8 U.S.C. § 1153(b)(5). The
petitioner claimed eligibility based on an investment in a regional center pursuant to section 61 0 of the
Judiciary Appropriations Act, 1993, Pub. L. 102-395 (1993) as amended by section 402 of the Visa
Waiver Permanent Program Act, 2000, Pub. L. 106-396 (2000). The regional center, Philadelphia
Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), was designated as a regional center by U.S. Citizenship
and Immigration Services (USCIS) on March 19, 2003. The petitioner now seeks to remove conditions
on lawful permanent residence status pursuant to section 216A ofthe Act, 8 U.S.C. § ll86(b).
The ultimate issues in this matter are (l) whether the petitioner could withdraw his investment in the
regional center project reviewed when the petitioner was granted conditional residence and reinvest in
an unrelated project without USCIS review or approval (2) whether the new investment is within a
targeted employment area and, thus, eligible for a reduced investment amount and (3) whether the new
investment demonstrates how the regional center's bridge loan allows the petitioner to be credited with
the statutorily required job creation.
The director initially determined that the petitioner had made a material change and failed to
demonstrate that he had sustained the investment proposed in the initial Form I-526 filing. On mo~ion,
counsel submitted a brief and additional evidence. The director withdrew the finding that the petitioner
had made material changes but reaffirmed the initial fmding that the petitioner had not sustained the
original investment. The director also detennined that the petitioner had not established that the new
investment was in a targeted employment area and, thus, whether the alien continued to qualify for a
reduced investment amount of $500,000. 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(f)(2). Finally, the director questioned
whether the new investment project had generated sufficient employment to qualify all of the investors
in this project for removal of conditions. The director certified the matter to the AAO pursuant to
8 C.F.R. § 103.4(a)(5). There is no appeal procedure for a Fonn 1-829. The regulation at 8 C.F.R.
§ I03.4(a)(5), however, allows the director to certify any decision to this office whether or not the case
is appealable. On certification, counsel submits a briefand additional evidence.
The AAO maintains plenary power to review each appeal on a de novo basis. 5 U.S.C. § 557(b) ("On
appeal from or review of the initial decision, the agency has all the powers which it would have in
making the initial decision except as it may limit the issues on notice or by rule."); see also Janka v.
US Dept. o[Transp., NTSB, 925 F.2d 1147, 1149 (9th Cir. 1991). The AAO's de novo authority
has been long recognized by the federal courts. See, e.g., Dar v. INS, 891 F.2d 997, 1002 n. 9 (2d
Cir. 1989). Moreover, this matter was certified to us pursuant to 8 C.F.R. § 103.4 for our review of all
ofthe unusually complex or novel issues.
For the reasons discussed below, we uphold the director's decision given the petitioner's failure to
execute the plan presented in support of the Forrri 1-526 petition by not only switching to a project that

7.
USCIS had never reviewed but also by financing different expenses with the original project than those
projected in the original business plan. In addition, the evidence submitted to establish that the new
invesbnent falls within a targeted employment area covers an address other than where the new
investment occurred. Finally, while we concur with the director that the record lacks sufficient
evidence ofemployment creation, our concern derives from the investment scheme.
Section 203(b)(5)(A) ofthe Act, as amended by the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations
Authorization Act, Pub. L. No. l07-273, 116 Stat. 1758 (2002), provides classification to qualified
immigrants seeking to enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in a new commercial
enterprise:
(i) in which such alien has invested (after the date ofthe enactment of the Immigration
Act of 1990) or, is actively in the process ofinvesting, capital in an amount not less than
the amount specified in subparagraph (C), and
(li) which will benefit the United States economy and create full-time employment for
not fewer than 10 United States citizens or aliens lawfully admitted for permanent
residence or other immigrants lawfully authorized to be employed in the United States
(other than the immigrant and the immigrant's spouse, sons, or daughters).
Section 216A(a)(l) ofthe Act provides:
Conditional basis for status.-Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an alien
entrepreneur (as defmed in subsection (f)(I)), alien spouse, and alien child (as defined
in subsection (f)(2)) shall be considered, at the time of obtaining the status of an alien
lawfully admitted for permanent residence, to have obtained such status on a conditional
basis subject to the provisions ofthis section.
Section 216A(c)(I )(A) of the Act provides that the alien entrepreneur must submit a petition which
requests the removal of such conditional basis. Section 216A(d)(I) of the Act provides that each
petition shall contain facts and information demonstrating that the alien invested or is actively in the
process of investing the requisite capital and that the alien sustained the investment actions throughout
the conditional residence period.
27 2005 the petitioner filed a Form J-526 petition based on his investment i n -
a partnership formed to invest in PIDC, a designated regional center pursuant
Jep;:rrtnnents of Commerce, Justice and State, the Judiciary, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993. The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(m)(l) provides, in pertinent
part: "Except as provided herein, aliens seeking to obtain immigration benefits under this paragraph
continue to be subject to all conditions and restrictions set forth in section 203(b)(5) ofthe Act and this
section." The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(m)(7) allows an alien to demonstrate job creation
indirectly. The petitioner asserted that the new commercial enterprise would invest in Tonuny D's
Home Improvement, Inc. (Tommy D's), a discount seller of close-out or discounted building
materials used for home improvement.

8.
ORIGINAL FORM 1-526 FILING
The original cover letter for the Fonn 1-526 provided:
The partnership has been fonned for the purpose of making an investment or a series
of investments in the form of loans or equity investments in the PIDC Regional
Center. The initial investment opportunity reviewed by an agreed upon by an
prospective limited partners is Tommy D's Home Improvement, Inc., a development
project described in section 3.2 below. By unanimous resolution of the limited
partners, other investment opportunities and all activities ancillary thereto located in
the PIDC Regional Center will be undertaken.
Because of the clarification recently requested by the Examiner for an unrelated
PIDC Regional Center application, we wish to clarify that the Partnership was
formedfor the ongoing conduct oflawful business. The purpose ofthe Partnership is
to operate as an ongoing commercial enterprise that makes an initial, well defined
investment, in this case, Tommy D's, and such otherfuture investments as some or all
of the limited partners may approve. Accordingly, the Limited Partnership
Agreement enables that once the initial investment is realized upon, a limited
partner(s) not electing to participate in subsequent investments recommended by
PIDC and the general partner to withdraw and to receive his or her share of the
amount realized from the Tommy D's investment in a manner consistent with the
Limited Partnership Agreement. The remaining limited partners who elect to
participate in the subsequent investment(s) will remain in the Partnership and may be
joined by new limited partners, all ofwhom. consistent with the Limited Partnership
Agreement, will unanimously approve the new investment proposal. The Limited
Partnership Agreement is dated November 10, 2004, and is attached at Exhibit 5.2.
The Memorandum from Counsel to the Partnership is attached as Exhibit 5.3.
3.2 Description of the Investment. The first investment of the Partnership is a
development project entitled the Tommy D's Expansion Plan. See Exhibit 3.2(a) for
a comprehensive business plan. Consistent with the confines of the PIDC Regional
Center application and designation, retail sale of home improvement materials is a
specified category of the trade industry, which is a target industry of the PIDC
Regional Center.
(Emphasis in original.)
According to the cover letter, the investment would fund an expansion plan that included the
purchase and renovation of a new warehouse. The cover letter projects the creation of42 direct and
26 indirect jobs as calculated through a Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS) wholesale
trade multiplier. The Partnership would invest through a five-year loan to Tommy D's.

9.
The business plan stated that the objective of the partnership would be to operate as an ongoing
series of investments that serve the best interests of the limited partners and in a manner that furthers
the economic development of Philadelphia. The plan references a PIDC advisory agreement with
the Partnership that requires PIDC to recommend investments to the Partnership. PlDC
recommended the Tommy D's investment. The petitioner provided USCIS with a flier, financial
statements, a budget and a job summary for Tommy D's. The budget for the expansion project
provides that the investment loan from the Partnership would be used as follows:
Permanent inventory build-up
Warehouse acquisition
Expansion costs
Recent and projected leasehold
improvements, furniture
fixture, machinery &
equipment
Soft costs
$1,000,000
$560,000
$600,000
$470,000
$20,000
$2,650,000
Significantly, neither the business plan nor the budget suggests that Tommy D's would use the
investment funds to pay off interim financing or an existing mortgage.
The Limited Partnership Agreement defines "Investment" as including the Qualifying Investment
and any other investment made by the Partnership in a Target Business which qualifies pursuant to
the Program and excludes Temporary Investments. The agreement further defines "Qualifying
Investment" as the accepted agreement listed in The Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM)
Amendment.1
The agreement also defines "Target Business" as a business that had undertaken to
create and maintain the number of qualifying jobs required pursuant to the Program in the Target
Employment Area.
Section 3.1 of the agreement states that the Partnership was formed as a commercial for-profit entity
for the purpose of making the Qualifying Investment and, by Unanimous Resolution of the Limited
Partners, other Qualifying Investments in a Target Business operating in the Targeted Employment
Area, and all activities ancillary thereto.
Section 3.3 of the agreement provides that a qualifying investment is deemed approved by execution
of the subscription agreement. In addition, any future investments must be approved by unanimous
resolution.
1
In a subsequent submission, the petitioner documented that the agreement was amended in 2006 to add a
definition of"other investment" as one that falls within the geographic area ofthe PIDC Regional center other
than the Qualifying Investment and Temporary Investments. This amendment appears consistent with the
definition of "investment" in the original agreement and does not appear to be a material change to the
agreement. This conclusion is not determinative as to whether the petitioner materially altered or sustained
the actions described in the business plan.

10.
The CIM Amendment provided indicates that the Partnership was formed for the purpose of making
a loan to Tommy D's, which would be used for "expansion costs, including machinery and
equipment, inventory build-up and working capital required for its expansion" and included
information about the disbursement of a loan to Tommy D's, security for this loan and the
borrower's budget. Once again, no mention is made of refinancing an existing loan.
~· the petitioner provided an opinion from of
-concluding that the Partnership is "ongoing was formed to invest m ommy
but allows limited partners to withdraw from the Partnership without forcing a dissolution.
Given the above, while the partnership agreement did provide for investments subsequent to the
investment in Tommy D's, it appears that these provisions were included to demonstrate that the
Partnership was formed for the ongoing conduct oflawful business as required at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(e)
(definition of commercial enterprise.)
FORM I-829 FILING
On November 26, 2008, the petitioner filed the Form 1-829 at issue in this proceeding. Prior
counsel's cover letter indicates the petitioner's investment of$530,000 created 12 jobs. In the initial
brief, prior counsel explained that the Partnership included five equity investors who were accorded
conditional lawful permanent resident status pursuant to section 203(b)(5) of the Act. Pursuant to
8 C.F.R. § 204.6(g), the investment must create at least 10 jobs per investor if all investors are to
have their conditions removed.
Prior counsel further explains that on May 22, 2008, the Partnership was advised that "because of
unanticipated financial circumstances, which occurred after the investment loan was funded, the
Tommy D's Project would be unable to comply with the forms and conditions of the Partnership's
investment loan." Specifically, according to prior counsel, the sub-prime mortgage bank losses
precluded Tommy D's from meeting job creation projections. Tommy D's inability to demonstrate
the necessary job creation required by statute resulted in a default requiring repayment of the loan.
Prior counsel continues that by unanimous resolution, the limited partners approved a new project,
the Butcher & Singer project.
Prior counsel explains the history of th~ment as follows. First, the Part.nership
released the $2,500,000 million loan t o - with Tommy D's as the guarantor on
September 16, 2005. Of this loan, $1,378,987.52 was used to pay off interim $3
was used to pay off an existing mortgage and $295,062.29 was paid directly to
On December 2, 2005, the final investor's $500,000 was released from escrow to
Prior counsel does not suggest that any of the funds were used for permanent inventory
build-up, warehouse acquisition, expansion costs, leasehold improvements, furniture, fixture,
machinery or equipment, the budget items identified in support ofthe Form I-526.
Prior counsel explains that it was
December 31, 2008. In fact,
would repay $1 ,500,000 by
,671.91 on October 17, 2008. The

11.
remaining $1,136,328.75 was expected to be repaid from the sale of properties owned b y -
personally. The remaining $1,000,000 would be repaid on or before September 16,
2010.
Upon the default by Tommy D's, the Partnership agreed to loan $1,500,000 to SBI Restaurant
Partners, LP (SBI), a subsidiary of the Starr Restaurant Organization, LP (SRO) to develop a new
restaurant, Butcher & Singer. The project would fund a 134-seat 7,600 square foot upscale "supper
club." According to prior counsel, construction on the restaurant started in mid-July 2008 and the
restaurant opened October 27,2008. The cost for the project was $1,978,513, of which $1,500,000
was financed by the Partnership's loan, due to be repaid by SBI on September 16, 2010. Prior
counsel explained that PIDC made an interim loan of $1 ,500,000 to the Partnership to fund the loan
to SBI on September 10, 2008. Prior counsel did not explain where PIDC obtained this money. If
th.e money derives from other alien investors, it raises the question as to wh.ich investors should be
credited with any jobs allegedly created with this money?
Prior counsel concluded that the investment created 10 direct and four indirect jobs at Tommy D's
and an additional 44 direct and six indirect jobs at Butcher & Singer. The employment Summary
Form completed by Tommy D's in January 2005 indicates that it employed 44 employees at that
time. The petitioner did submit an undated list of employees for Tommy D's and Butcher & Singer
th.at lists 10 new employees at Tommy D's. The "Follow-Up Employment Summary Forms"
completed by Tommy D's through November 2008, however, indicate that while employment at
Tommy D's did increase briefly, as of November 2008, employment at Tommy D's had returned to
only 44 workers. Thus, the November 19, 2008 letter from PIDC concluding that Tommy D's had
created 10 direct and 4 indirect jobs is not supported by the record.
The petitioner submitted evidence that escrow funds for four investors were transferred to the
Partnership on August 26, 2005. The remaining investor's funds were transferred to the Partnership
in March 2006.3
On September 19, 2005, the Partnership transferred $2,000,000 to Fidelity Title
Abstract Company. Attached to the letter requesting the $2,000,000 transfer to Fidelity Title
Abstract Company is a closing statement documenting refinancing of a $1,378,987.52 loan from The
Reinvestment Fund, Inc. for a total cost of$2,000,000. On this document, the Partnership is listed as
the lender, are listed as the borrowers and Fidelity Title Abstract Company is
listed as agent. The petitioner also submitted a September 7, 2005 letter from -
of Lending for PIDC, confirming that P~DC had reviewed a "total of
$2,000,000 applicable paid invoices/cancelled checks" and determined that the funds were
"consistent with the approved project budget." The closing document, however, reveals that the
$2,000,000 was actually used to refinance an existing loan and not for any of the expenses listed in
the original Tommy D's budget presented in support ofthe Form I-526, quoted above.
2
We raise this concern irrespective of the fact that PIDC Regional Center LP II invested in a different
restaurant affiliated with SRO.
3
The bank statements reveal that the funds for five investors were transferred to the Partnership on that date
but that on August 31, 2005 the Partnership returned the funds for one investor to escrow.

12.
On March 30, 2006, the Partnership transferred $500,000 to an account at Mellon Bank referenced
as "further credit The bank statements also reflect transfers to the
Partnership from PIDC referencing payments and interest from Tommy D's. These payments
include $8,794.76 on an illegible date in February 2006, $16,788 on May 31, 2006, $19,168.25 on
December 29, 2006, $18,854.05 on July 5, 2007, $355.10 on October 11, 2007, $19,166.54 on
January 2, 2008, and $18,958.21 on July 1, 2008. As of August 30, 2008, however, only $19,679.13
remained in the Partnership's account.
On September 10, 2008 PIDC transferred $411,000 from its "concentration account" to the
Partnership and on September 18, PIDC transferred $408,000 from the same account to the
Partnership. On September 10, 2008, the Partnership transferred $411 ,000 to SBI's account at
HSBC bank and on September 22, 2008, the Partnership transferred $408,000 to the same account.
On October 16, 2008, PIDC transferred $261,218.91 to the Partnership which the Partnership then
transferred to SBI the next day. On October 17, 2008, PIDC transferred $363,671.25 to the
Partnership as a payment of principal from Tommy D's and the Partnership returned the funds to
PIDC on the same date in satisfaction of some of the loan from PIDC. On November I, 2008, PIDC
transferred $419,781.09 to the Partnership, which transferred those funds to SBI on the same date.
On May 14, 2009, Land America Financial Group, Inc. issued a check to the Partnership for
$1,156,060.63. On certification, counsel explains that this check is from - a n d that,
pursuant to an agreement, PIDC collected and deposited the funds. On May 18, 2009, PIDC
transferred $1,148,167.88 to the Partnership referencing "Tommy D's."
A May 22, 2008 letter from the Partnership's General Partner, however, advises that employment at
Tommy D's was 53 in November but is down to 36. A June 30, 2008 letter to the Partnership's
investors advises that the Partnership had concluded that it is unlikely Tommy D's would create the
necessary jobs and that PIDC had approved the Butcher & Singer investment.
The June 4, 2008 budget for the Butcher & Singer project is as follows:
Construction
Fees
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
Kitchen
IT Systems
Signage
Pre-Opening Costs
Total
$836,837
$140,000
$387,330
$40,000
$10,000
$10,000
$554,346
$1 ,978,513
Prior counsel asserted, however, that construction on the restaurant started in mid-July 2008. Thus.
the petitioner has not explained why all of the construction fees and the design expenses set forth
under fees in the subsequent budget breakdown would remain outstanding in September 2008 when
the Partnership extended the loan to SBI.

13.
On June 29, 2009, the director advised that the petitioner had impermissibly materially changed the
investment structure and questioned whether the employees at SBI would also be counted for
investors in PIDC Regional Center LP II. In response, counsel asserts that the petitioner sustained
his investment in the Partnership and in employment-generating businesses and that PIDC Regional
Center LP II invested in a different SRO affiliated restaurant, Continental Midtown and, thus, would
not be counting employment generated at Butcher & Singer.
On August 3, 2009, the director denied the Form I-829 petition, concluding that the petitioner
redirected his investment and that jobs were apparently being counted for two regional center
partnerships.
On motion, counsel asserts that the petitioner invested in the Partnership and sustained his
investment in the Partnership. Counsel further asserts that no material change was made because the
original limited partnership agreement permitted the Partnership to investment in investments other
than the Qualifying Investment. Counsel reiterates that PIDC Regional Center LP II invested in a
different restaurant affiliated with SRO.
The director accepted that the petitioner had not materially changed the terms of the limited
partnership agreement but concluded that the petitioner had not sustained the original investment
project that had been reviewed extensively when the Form 1-526 petition was filed. The director
also questioned the link between each investor and the jobs at Butcher & Singer due to the bridge
loan from PIDC and the failure to receive the funds back from Tommy D's. The director also noted
the lack of evidence that Butcher & Singer falls within a Targeted Employment Area. We will
consider counsel's response below.
LAW AND ANALYSIS
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(e) states, iri pertinent part, that:
Targeted employment area means an area which, at the time of investment, is a rural
area or an area which has experienced unemployment of at least 150 percent of the
national average rate.
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(j)(6) states that:
If applicable, to show that the new commercial enterprise has created or will create
employment in a targeted employment area, the petition must be accompanied by:
(i) In the case of a rural area, evidence that the new commercial enterprise is
principally doing business within a civil jurisdiction not located within any standard
metropolitan statistical area as designated by the Office of Management and Budget,
or within any city or town having a population of 20,000 or more as based on the
most recent decennial census ofthe United States; or

14.
(ii) In the case ofa high unemployment area:
(A) Evidence that the metropolitan statistical area, the specific county
within a metropolitan statistical area, or the county in which a city or town
with a population of 20,000 or more is located, in which the new
commercial enterprise is principally doing business has experienced an
average unemployment rate of 150 percent ofthe national average rate; or
(B) A letter from an authorized body of the government of the state in
which the new commercial enterprise is located which certifies that the
geographic or political subdivision ofthe metropolitan statistical area or of
the city or town with a population of 20,000 or more in which the
enterprise is principally doing business has been designated a high
unemployment area. The letter must meet the requirements of 8 C.F.R. §
204.6(i).
The record before the director contained no evidence regarding whether the address of Butcher and
Singer, 1500 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, is a targeted employment area. Thus, the director
concluded that the petitioner must demonstrate an investment of $1,000,000. On appeal, the
petitioner submits evidence of several census tracts designated as high unemployment areas. An
arrow is included on one of the maps identifYing 1500 Market Street, stated to be in qualifying
census tract four. Butcher and Singer, however, is located at 1500 Walnut Street. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, http://factfinder.census.gov, accessed April 22, 2010 and incorporated into the
record of proceeding, 1500 Walnut Street is located in census tract eight. The record contains no
evidence that census tract eight is within a targeted employment area.
In light of the above, the petitioner must demonstrate an investment of $1,000,000. For purposes of
addressing counsel's additional assertions, however, we will consider the petitioner's claimed
$500,000 investment.
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 204.6(e) states, in pertinent part, that:
Capital means cash, equipment, inventory, other tangible property, cash equivalents,
and indebtedness secured by assets owned by the alien entrepreneur, provided the
alien entrepreneur is personally and primarily liable and that the assets of the new
commercial enterprise upon which the petition is based are not used to secure any of
the indebtedness.
* * *
Invest means to contribute capital. A contribution of capital in exchange for a note,
bond, convertible debt, obligation, or any other debt arrangement between the alien
entrepreneur and the new commercial enterprise does not constitute a contribution of
capital for the purposes ofthis part.

15.
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 204.60) states, in pertinent part, that:
(2) To show that the petitioner has invested or is actively in the process of investing
the required amount of capital, the petition must be accompanied by evidence that the
petitioner has placed the required amount of capital at risk for the purpose of
generating a return on the capital placed at risk. Evidence of mere intent to invest, or
of prospective investment arrangements entailing no present commitment, will not
suffice to show that the petitioner is actively in the process of investing. The alien
must show actual commitment of the required amount of capital. Such evidence may
include, but need not be limited to:
(i) Bank statement(s) showing amount(s) deposited in United States
business account(s) for the enterprise;
(ii) Evidence of assets which have been purchased for use in the United
States enterprise, including invoices, sales receipts, and purchase contracts
containing sufficient information to identify such assets, their purchase
costs, date of purchase, and purchasing entity;
(iii) Evidence of property transferred from abroad for use in the United
States enterprise, including United States Customs Service commercial
entry documents, bills of lading and transit insurance policies containing
ownership information and sufficient information to identify the property
and to indicate the fair market value of such property;
(iv) Evidence of J11onies transferred or committed to be transferred to the
new commercial en~erprise in exchange for shares of stock (voting or
nonvoting, common or preferred). Such stock may not include terms
requiring the new commercial enterprise to redeem it at the holder's
request; or
(v) Evidence of any loan or mortgage agreement, promissory note,
security agreement, or other evidence of borrowing which is secured by
assets of the petitioner, other than those of the new commercial enterprise,
and for which the petitioner is personally and primarily liable.
The full amount of the requisite investment must be made available to the business most closely
responsible for creating the employment upon which the petition is based. Matter of Jzummi,
22 I&N Dec. 169, 179 (Comm'r. 1998). While counsel notes on certification that the job creating
enterprise and the new commercial enterprise are not always the same and notes that Matter of
Izummi does not preclude prospective investments, nothing in that decision suggests that the alien is
free to move his investment from the prospective project presented to USCIS in support ofthe Form
1-526 to a project that USCIS has never reviewed in any respect.

16.
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 2l6.6(a)(4) states that a petition for removal of conditions must be
accompanied by the following evidence:
(i) Evidence that a commercial enterprise was established by the alien. Such evidence
may include, but is not limited to, Federal income tax returns;
(ii) Evidence that the alien invested or was actively in the process of investing the
requisite capital. Such evidence may include, but is not limited to, an audited
financial statement or other probative evidence; and
(iii) Evidence that the alien sustained the actions described in paragraph (a)(4)(i) and
(a)(4)(ii) of this section throughout the period of the alien's residence in the United
States. The alien will be considered to have sustained the actions required for
removal of conditions if he or she has, in good faith, substantially met the capital
investment requirement of the statute and continuously maintained his or her capital
investment over the two years of conditional residence. Such evidence may include,
but is not limited to, bank statements, invoices, receipts, contracts, business licenses,
Federal or State income tax returns, and Federal or State quarterly tax statements.
(iv) Evidence that the alien created or can be expected to create within a reasonable
time ten full-time jobs for qualifying employees. In the case of a ''troubled business"
as defined in 8 CFR 204.6(j)(4)(ii), the alien entrepreneur must submit evidence that
the commercial enterprise maintained the number of existing employees at no less
than the pre-investment level for the period following his or her admission as a
conditional permanent resident. Such evidence may include payroll records, relevant
tax documents, and Forms 1-9.
The director relied on Chang v. United States ofAmerica, 327 F. 3d 911 (9th Cir. 2003), which held
that, during the adjudication of a Form 1-829, USCIS could not review whether the initial plan
submitted with the Form 1-526 was qualifying, only whether the alien sustained that plan. The
director reasoned that this decision is consistent with the proposition that an alien cannot switch
plans between the Form 1-526 petition and Form 1-829 petition. On certification, counsel asserts that
the director's reliance on Chang, which, as noted by counsel, reversed USCIS' retroactive
application of precedent decisions at the Form I-829 stage, stands that case "on its head." Counsel is
not persuasive.
While Chang, 327 F. 3d at 927, held in favor of the aliens who had relied on the approval of their
Form I-526 petitions, the court's reasoning is relevant to the matter before us. Specifically, the court
stated that the Form 1-526 approval may not be "decoupled from [Form] 1-829 approval." Id The
court further stated that Form 1-829 approval is predicted by Form I-526 approval and "successful
execution of the approved plan." /d. Requiring the petitioner to execute the plan as presented to
USCIS is not merely a technical requirement. As noted by the court in Chang, 327 F. 3d at 927, far
more evidence is required in support of the Form 1-526 petition. At the Form I-829 stage, the

17.
petitioner is not required to submit such evidence. Thus, if counsel's assertions are accepted, the
alien would never need to provide the type of extensive documentation for the new plan that is
typically required under 8 C.F.R. § 204.6, the regulation specifYing the evidence to be submitted in
support of a Form 1-526. As noted by counsel, the Chang court did focus on the aliens' good faith
reliance. Counsel does not explain, however, how an alien can rely on the approval of a Fonn 1-526
for an investment project that USCIS did not review as part ofthat adjudication.
A recent memorandum, Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations,
Adjudication of EB-5 Regional Center Proposals and Affiliated Form ].526 and Form 1-829
Petitions; AdJudicators Field Manual (AFM) Update to Chapters 22.4 and 25.2 (AD09-38),
December 11, 2009, addressed changes in Form 1·526 plans. (Memo at p. 5) This memorandum
states:
The statutory structure of the EB-5 program and relevant precedent decisions limit an
alien entrepreneur's options when a planned investment project fails. The capital
investment project identified in the business plan in the approved Form 1-526 must
serve as the basis for determining at the Form 1-829 petition stage whether the
requisite capital investment has been sustained throughout the alien's two year period
of conditional residency and that at least ten jobs have been or will be created within
a reasonable period oftime as a result ofthe alien's capital investment.
The memorandum then provides a procedure whereby an alien whose investment project fails during
the conditional period may file a new Form I-526. (Memo at p. 6.) We acknowledge that this
memorandum postdates the filing of the Form I-526 in this matter. That USCIS subsequently
created a discretionary remedy for aliens whose projects fail during the conditional period does not
require USCIS to consider a new business plan that was not subject to the no1111al review process at
the Form I-526 stage in the matter before us. Had USCIS reviewed the Butcher & Singer business
plan in the context of a Fonn I-526 petition, it might have raised serious concerns about this plan.
such as how the investors' loan during the finaJ stages of construction that purports to cover
preliminary costs such as design fees can truly be credited for creating any jobs and where PIDC
acquired the $1,500,000 to loan to the Partnership. These are not concerns that can or should be
addressed in the context of a Form I-829 petition.
As was explained in the initial cover letter to the Form I-526, the purpose of allowing the Partnership
to invest in multiple projects was to allay concerns that the Partnership was not "ongoing," and not
to permit the Partnership to abandon the approved project to invest in a project that had yet to be
reviewed in any respect by USCIS as part ofthe Form I-526 adjudication.
Moreover, as discussed, the Partnership's original investment in Tommy D's did not comply with
the business plan, which made no mention of refinancing an existing mortgage. Had the petitioner
disclosed this plan, USCIS might have questioned how replacing one loan with another loan would
create jobs. Notably, such financing did not, in fact, create any jobs.

18.
As stated above, the new investment has not been shown to be in a targeted employment area
allowing the petitioner to invest less than $1 ,000,000, the petitioner did not sustain his investment
and the new investment cannot be credited with the statutorily required job creation. For all of these
reasons, considered in sum and as alternative grounds for denial, this petition cannot be approved~
thus, the petition remains denied.
The burden of proof in these proceedings rests solely with the petitioner. Section 291 of the Act,
8 U.S.C. § 1361. The petitioner has not sustained that burden. Accordingly, the decision ofthe director
denying the petition will be affirmed.
ORDER: The petition is denied.